Device and method for weaving a spiral slide fastener to a narrow fabric simultaneously with the weaving of the fabric



Sept. 8, 1953 F. c. MOSTERTZ 2,651,330

DEVICE AND METHOD FOR WEAVING A SPIRAL sum: FASTENERTO A NARROW FABRIC SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE WEAVING OF THE FABRIC Filed March 1, 1951 INVENTOR. FRANZ c. MOSTERTZ v AT TC RN RY.

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Sept. 8. 1953 WITH THE WEAVINC Filed March 1, 1951 pgets sheet 2 Mosrezqng,

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Sept. 8, 1953 Filed Maich 1, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. c. MOSTERT'Z ATTORNEY I INVENTOR.

, FRANZ c. MOSTERTZ Patented Sept. 8 1953 DEVICE AND METHOD FOR WEAVING A SPIRAL SLIDE FASTENER TO A NARROW FABRIC SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE WEAVING OF THE F ABRIC Franz C. Mostertz, Philadelphia, Pa. Application March 1, 1951, Serial No. 213,434

16 Claims.

This invention has reference to the production of slide fasteners, and more particularly those of the type in which the stringers are each composed of a continuous, spirally-arranged element. Each of the stringers is secured in a tape and the present invention contemplates the weaving of a tape in which the stringers are incorporated during the weaving operation.

In weaving a spiral fastener stringer of this character into a tape, it is important that the use of tension or pull on the stringer be minimized since the imposition of tension on the spiral stringer has a tendency to pull and distort the spiral. When this occurs the spiral is often distorted or stretched to such an extent as to produce a different number of convolutions per inch of tape than the amount intended, resulting in the failure of proper engagement between opposing stringers. It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide means for feeding the spiral in a manner which will prevent stretching or twisting of the spiral, thus insuring the presentation of the spiral to the weaving operation in an undistorted manner and resulting in the spiral being attached to the tape in straight-line formation and with the proper number of convolutions to each inch of tape.

Another object of the invention is to provide means by which each of the filling or weft threads is held as it is passed through the spiral, thus preventing inadvertent withdrawal of such threads on return shuttle movements. Still another object is to provide a novel feeding means for the spiral, and means by which the woven tape, with the spiral incorporated in the same, will be held flatly and prevented from twisting as the same proceeds to the take-up reel.

These and other objects to be set forth are attained by the invention, a more particular description of which will hereinafter appear and be set forth in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein an illustrative embodiment of the invention is disclosed,

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a loom mechanism constructed according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the operating mechanism for the feeding of the spiral fastener stringer and for operation of the weftretaining finger;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the mechanism of Fig. 2, with parts broken away to disclose construction;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view showing portions of the batten, shuttle, weft-retaining finger, tapeengaging rollers and associated elements;

2 Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view through the spiral element and the tube through which it is fed; the section being taken on the line 66 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figs. 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views showing the action of the weft-retaining finger, and

Fig. 9 is a sectional'view through a portion of th; 1tap e with the spiral stringer secured thereto.

a fabric tape which has, adjacent to one of its longitudinal edges, a spiral stringer of the character used for slide fasteners.

By reference to Fig. 9 wherein a cross section of the tape and attached fastener is seen, it that the warp threads are indicated at l0 and the weft threads at H. A heavier warp thread, adjacent to the spiral stringer I2, is shown at l3, and it will be observed that an edge portion M of the tape extends from said warp thread l3 to partly overlie or partly cover the spiral stringer I 2.

In the production of such a tape and spiralstringer combination, the warp threads from which the tape is woven are contained upon the supply reels generally indicated at IS in Fig. 1. Said threads, indicated at I6 and I! in Fig. 1, extend from the reels l5 over several tension rods 18 and through the heddles 19 in the conventional manner, then passing through the reed 2| carried by the batten 20. The shuttle 22 is mounted for reciprocating and arcuate movement, on the batten 20. These elements thus far described, are conventional in certain types of looms.

The spiral fastener stringer [2 which is adapted to be inserted in the tape by the weaving operation is seen in cross section in Fig. 6. The stringer is continuously fed from a reel or coil indicated at 23 and the same, when drawn from the reel 23 is passed under a guide or tension roll 24 and thence through a feeding device generally indicatedat 25. Said feeding device, which is shown in detail in Fig. 2, includes a base member 26 fixedly mounted on or forming a part ofthe frame of the loom, and arising from said base member is a, tubular housing Extending transversely through the housing 21 near the upper end thereof is a guide sleeve or tube 28 which has a cross sectional shape corresponding to that of the spiral stringer I 2, as shown in Fig, 6, thereby preventing twist ing or rotative movement of the stringer within the guide sleeve or tube 28. The spiral stringer I2 is fed through the sleeve or tube 28 by means of a worm gear 29 located in the housing 21 above the sleeve or tube 28 and engaging with the convolutions of the stringer through an aperture 30 in the tube 28. The worm gear 2% has its teeth corresponding exactly to the convolutions of the spiral stringer.

The worm gear 29 is mounted upon arotatable shaft 3|, rotative in suitable bearings in the housing 21, and the shaft 31 carries a sprocket 32 receiving the chain 33 which extends downwardly through the housing 21 and adjacent to the lower end of the housing extends about a sprocket 34 on a shaft 35 rotative in the housing. Said shaft carries, externally of the housing, a sprocket 3B which receives a chain 31 that extends about a sprocket 38 on a shaft 39 rotative in a bearing 30a. at the upper end of an upright member or post 31a secured to and rising from the base 26. Carried on the shaft 39 is a bevel gear 46 which meshes with a bevel gear 41 on the upper end of a vertical shaft 42. On the lower end of the vertical shaft 42, below the base member 26, is a worm gear 43 in mesh with a worm 44 on a shaft 45 extending transversely of the base 26, and said shaft .45 carries a gear 46 in mesh with a pinion 4 1 on a shaft 48 extending parallel to the shaft 48. Also secured on the shaft 48 is a sprocket 49, engaged by the chain 50 which extends about at sprocket 5! on the main shaft 52 of the machine. The main shaft 52 is rotated at the proper speed by a motor or other power source. An tively carried at the end of the slack in the chain 50. t t

The arrangement above described is such as to cause the spiral stringer to be fed at a speed to provide a given number of convolutions in the stringer to the inch of tape. After passing through the guide sleeve or tube 28, the spiral stringer is fed through a guide tube 55 which also corresponds in cross-sectional shape to the contour of the spiral stringer. Adjacent to its entrance end 55, the tube is attached to a head 51 mounted for rocking movement in a tubular rod 58 secured to the harness frame 59. This arrangement is such that when the harness frame is vertically reciprocated during the usual weaving operation, the tube 55 will be moved with it.

The shuttle 22 which lays the weft threads in position is movable on a curve or are as is known in certain types of looms in use today, and as the weft threads are laid'in place, with the spiral stringer [2 extending co-extensive with the warp threads and being engaged by the weft threads in similar manner, it is desirable that when each weft thread is laid in position and enters between the convolution of the spiral stringer, such thread be prevented from rising out of the stringer on the return movement of the shuttle. The manner in which this is accomplished is illustrated in Figs. 4, '7 and 8. In Fig. 7 a weft thread indicated at 60 is being laid in place by movement of the shuttle in the direction of the arrow or toward the stringer l2. In Fig. 8 the weft thread has been laid in place and the shuttle is on its return movement in a direction away from the stringer. Since the shuttle describes a trajectory it has a tendency to pull the weft thread through such trajectory and the normal result would be topull the weft thread out of the oonvolutions of the spiral.

the arm 5 4 takes up idle sprocket 53 rota- Hence it is desirable to provide a thread-retaining finger indicated at 62.

In Fig. 7 the finger 62 is shown in its retracted position, or is located rearwardly of the shed, so that it is out of the way of the shuttle. In Fig. 8 the finger 62 has been advanced to its retaining position and is engaging the weft thread which has just been laid in place, the finger acting to hold the thread just beyond the spiral and preventing it from being pulled up out of the convolutions thereof.

The mechanism for operating the finger 62 is shown in Figs. 4 and 5, wherein it will be noted that the finger is provided with a forward, downwardly-bent end 63 for engagement with the threads as just described, the finger being adjus'table as to effective length in a rear sleeve portion 6.4, pivoted at 65 to a link 66 secured on a rocking shaft 61 rotative in a bracket 68. Said shaft 61 is oscillated by means of linkage which includes an arm 69 secured at one end to shaft 61 and having its other end pivotally attached at iii to a link H having its lower end pivotally attached at 12 to the upper end of a lever 13. The lower end of the lever 13 is pivoted at M between lugs 15 secured to a frame member 13.

The sleeve portion 63 of the finger 62 is slidable through a boss 11 which is rotatively mounted in the bracket 68, this arrangement being such as to cause the free end 63 of the finger to be elevated by rotational movement of the boss Ti when the finger is drawn to its retracted position, or that shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. A link 19 has one end pivotally connected at 8!] to the lever I3, the opposite end of said link beingpivoted at 8! to a lever 82. Said'lever 82 has its upper end pivoted at 83 in abracket 84 mounted on the supporting post or standard 85. Lever 32 carries a cam roller 86 operative against the edge of a cam 81 mounted on shaft '88, which shaft carries a gear 89. Meshing with the gear 89 is a pinion located on the shaft 9| which carries a sprocket 92, engaged by the chain 93 extending about a sprocket 94 on the main shaft 52 of the loom. A spring H9 extending between the lever 13 and a lug Hi on the frame member 16 acts to hold the cam roller 86 in constant contact with the cam 81.

It will be apparent that by means of the mechanism just described, and which is properly timed for cooperation with the other parts of the apparatus, that the finger 62 will be moved forwardly and downwardly to engage and hold the weft thread when it is laid through the convolutions of the spiral stringer, and then be elevated and retracted as the batten is brought forward to pack in the thread.

To hold the woven tape and the spiral stringer anchored therein fiatlyand prevent the same from twisting or spiralling, I provide a pair of rollers indicated respectively at 35 and 9 6. It will be noted that these rollers are each groovedas indicated at 91 to conform to the contour of the spiral stringer. The upper roller 35 is rotativell mounted in a clevis -98 pivoted at 99 between the arms of a yoke let that is hinged-at H to a part of the bracket 68. The pressure imposed by the rollers on the tape is regulated by a spring I02 surrounding an adjusting screw 103 threaded through the clevis 98 and operative against a part of the yoke I30.

From the foregoing, the operation of the improved structure will'be readily understood. The warp threads It and I! fed from the reels or spools I5 pass through the heddles and battenin the conventional manner. The spiral stringer is fed from the supply reel 23 and passesthrough the guide sleeve 28 where it is engaged by the worm gear 29 and is fed thereby at the proper rate of feed through the guide sleeve 28. The spiral stringer after issuing from sleeve 28 then passes through the tube 55 and through the batten to reach the shed where it is engaged by the weft threads as the same are laid in place by movements of the shuttle. As each Weft thread is laid in position by the shuttle movement toward the spiral stringer, such-thread is momentarily engaged and held by the retaining finger 62. The finger then retracts to'be out of the way of the batten as the same moves to'pack in the weft threads.

After the tape is woven and with thespiral stringer in place, the same passes between the rollers 95 and 96 which hold the tape and spiral stringer against twisting movement, andthe tape then wound up on the reel indicated at I 05. In carrying out the invention, the employment of tension upon the spiral stringer is avoided and the result is that a uniformity of stringer convolutions to each inch of the tape ensues and a smoothly-operating fastener is the result;

Having described one embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that the same is not to be restricted thereto, butis broad enough to cover all structures coming within the scope of the annexed claims.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus of the character described comprising, a loom for weaving a tape and including means for moving warp threads to a shed, a spiral fastener stringer moved co-extensively with the warp threads to the shed, means for moving said spiral stringer comprising a guide sleeve provided with an aperture, and a rotative toothed element operative through said aperture and engaging the convolutions of the spiral stringer to move saidspiral stringer axially'toward the shed of the tape in which it is woven.

2. In a loom by which a spiral fastener stringer is woven into a tape, means for'fee'ding the spiral stringer comprising a rotative element engaging the spiral convolutions of the'stringer and moving the same toward the point at which it is woven into the tape.

3. In a loom for weaving a spiral fastener stringer into a tape, feeding means for the spiral stringer comprising, a sleeve conforming in crosssectional shape to the contour of the stringer and through which the stringer is moved, said sleeve having an aperture in its side Wall, a rotated worm gear mounted adjacent to the sleeve and having its peripheral edge entering through the aperture to engage with the convolutions of the spiral stringer passing through the sleeve to thereby move the stringer through the sleeve by the rotation of said worm gear.

4. In a loom for weaving a spiral fastener stringer into a tape, a support having a sleeve through which the spiral fastener stringer is moved, said sleeve having an aperture, a worm gear extending through the aperture and in engagement with the convolutions of the spiral stringer to thereby feed the stringer by revolutions of the worm gear, a harness through which the stringer is fed, said harness carrying a tube through which the stringer passes, said tube being free at one end and pivotally attached to the harness at its other end.

5. In a loom by which a spiral fastener is woven into a tape, means for feeding the spiral stringer is woven into a tape, means for feeding the spiral fastener stringer co-extensively with the warp threads which are incorporated in the tape, a batten carrying a shuttle by means of which weft threads are. inserted in the'tape and which weft threads engage the convolutions of the spiral stringer, and a movable finger operative to engage and hold each weft thread in position beyond the spiral stringer in which it is placed, to thereby prevent lifting of said thread out of the convolution on return shuttle movement-and means by which said finger i moved to thread-engaging. or thread dis-engaging position in relation to movements of the shuttle.

feeding the stringer axially through the sleeve, a loom harness frame, a tube having an end pivotally connected in said harness frame, the spiral stringer being fed through the tube to the shed of the tape being woven, and

which the tape is passed, to lit the confirmation 0f the spiral stringer held in the tape.

8. In a loom by which a spiral fastener stringer is woven into a tape, means for feeding the spiral fastener stringer co-extensively with the warp threads which are incorporated in the tape, a batten carrying a shuttle by means of which weft threads are inserted in the tape and which weft ing position and rollers between which the woven tape and contained stringer are held fiatwisely.

9. In a loom by which a spiral fastener stringer is woven into a tape, feeding means for the stringer including a support through which the stringer is fed, a gear for engaging the convolutions of the spiral stringer to thereby feed the same axially to Weaving position, a loom harness through which the stringer is passed on its way to weaving position, said harness carrying a tube through which the fastener stringer passes, said tube having one end pivotally attached to the harness.

10. In a loom as provided for in claim 10, wherein the tube through which the stringer passes has an internal shape corresponding to the external shape of the stringer so that the stringer cannot rotate within the tube.

11. In a loom for weaving a spiral fastener stringer into a tape, a pair of guide tubes through which a continuous length of spiral fastener stringer is axially fed, a rotative gear at one of the tubes for engaging the convolution's of the stringer to thereby prevent twisting movement of spiral fastener stringer and moving the fastener the string while the same is being fed. stringer axially toward and through the second 15. In the method of weaving a spiral fastener tube and toward weaving position, the spiral stringer into a woven tape, the steps of feeding stringer being of non-round shape, and the inthe stringer =co-extensively with the warp threads ternal contour of both of the tubes corresponding of the tape, in inserting weft threads across the in shape to the shape of the spiral stringer. warp and engaging each weft thread as it is 12. In a loom for weaving a spiral fastener laid and holding the same at a point on the outstringer into a tape, means for feeding a plurality side of the inserted stringer to prevent the thread of warp threads to weaving position, means for from displacement on shuttle return. feeding a spiral fastener stringer co-extensively 16. Line loom by which a spiral fastenerstringer with the warp threads, guiding means for the is woven :into a tape, means for feeding the spiral stringer, said guiding means including a pair of fastener stringer co-extensively with the warp tubes of internal cross-sectional shape correthreads which are incorporated in the tape, a sponding to the shape of the stringer, rotative' 1.5 batten carrying a shuttle by means of which weft feed means at one of the tubes for engaging the threads are inserted in the tape and which weft convolutions of the spiral stringer and feeding threads engage the convolutions of the spiral the stringer axially and through thesecond tube, stringer, a movable finger operative to engage the second tube having an end pivotally carried and hold each weft thread in position beyond by the loom harness, a batten carrying a shuttle the convolution of the spiral stringer in which for laying in the weft threads, a movable finger it is placed to thereby prevent lifting of said for engaging each weft thread after being laid thread out of the convolution on return shuttle in a convolution of the spiral fastener and premovement, the finger being moved to threadvent displacement of said thread from the conengaging or thread disengaging position in relavolution, and rollers between which the woven tion to movements of the shuttle, and means for tape with the incorporated stringer are passed, operating said finger as described, consisting of the rollers having edge grooves shaped to cona bracket, a swinging linkpivoted thereon, means form to the shape of the tape and stringer. for causing swinging movement of the link, one

13. In a loom for weaving a spiral fastener end of the finger being pivoted to said link, a stringer into a tape, a plurality of guide tubes member mounted :for oscillatory movement on through which a continuous length of spiral the bracket, the finger being slidable through fastener stringer is axially fed, a rotative gear said oscillatory member, whereby a raising moveat one of the tubes for engaging the convolument is imparted to the forward end of the finger tions of the spiral fastener stringer and moving as the finger is retracted from operative threadthe fastener stringer axially toward a second tube engaging position.

and toward weaving position, the spiral stringer FRANZ C. MOSTERTZ. being of non-round shape, and the internal contour of the tubes corresponding in shape to the References Gited in the file of this patent shape of the spiral stringer, one of the tubes UNITED STATES PATENTS being carried by the loom harness and being Nmnber Name Date pivotally attached thereto.

14. In the method of weaving aspiral fastener 1 southwtck 1917 stringer into a woven tape, the step of feeding 1,218,710 ,southwmk Man 1917 the fastener stringer axially and co-extensively 55 Anwood et June 3 1934 with the warp threads of the tape, and guiding fi'fi g g fi 13 5? the stringer through guideways of an internal 2,576,789 HOughtOn Nov- 17 1951 contour similar to the external. shape of the 

